That said, despite the clarity of the graphics, there is sometimes so much information being conveyed on the HUD that it can obscure gameplay. The decision to use cel-shading results not only in a beautiful game, but also a coherent one, as each Mobile Suit on the field is defined with sharp lines and distinctive colours. The battles themselves might not be as astonishingly beautiful as the cinematics, but they are clearly-rendered and never confusing, which is quite a feat when you stop to consider the fact that there are often hundreds of enemies on screen at any one time. The cinematic sequences which make use of this effect are truly stunning, and manage to combine the distinctive aesthetic of the television show with the kind of polish that gamers at the latter end of the current generation demand. GRAPHICS: The most instantly noticeable thing about the game is the striking use of cel-shaded graphics and static backgrounds to re-create the look of the original anime. It’s also worth bearing in mind that there is so much content elsewhere in the game that perhaps the decision to focus developer hours and disk space on the Mobile Suits rather than the narrative was a wise one.
#Dynasty warriors gundam 3 opening series#
Secondly, long-term fans of the series will be able to simply enjoy the appearance of their favourite characters without any protracted and intrusive introduction sequences. Firstly, for those new to the series, being unaware of the reasons why you’re fighting doesn’t necessarily make it any less enjoyable (again: giant robots).
However, the questionable narrative devices are arguably unimportant. Further to this, characters frequently appear on the battlefield without any introduction, leaving anyone unfamiliar with the series unsure as to why they require annihilation, other than the fact that their energy bar is red, rather than blue. Aside from the spectacular cinematics that punctuate the core missions in story mode, much of the narrative is conveyed by either static dialogue between the characters, or messages on the game’s central “terminal”. There is no denying that much of the plot will sail over the heads of the uninitiated, something that isn’t helped by the game’s questionable use of text-based exposition.
Whilst many will find it hugely frustrating, others will applaud the game’s decision to focus on the experience of long-term fans over newcomers. The player’s ability to follow the various plot lines is dependent on their previous knowledge of the Gundam universe, and this is likely to divide opinion. STORY: Told from the perspective of a number of different characters, Gundam’s epic science-fiction storyline depicts a universe torn apart by war. But once players have got over their initial teething troubles, is the Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 experience worth the hassle? Similarly, anyone not familiar with hack-and-slash conventions will struggle to figure out what’s going on in the first few stages of the game. Players who aren’t well-versed in Gundam legend will probably find the plot fairly heavy going. One of the highest-profile iterations of the meta-series for Western audiences in recent years has been Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, which uses Dynasty Warriors’ strategic hack-and-slash mechanic as a platform to allow players to pilot Gundam’s famous mecha: the Mobile Suits. Revolving around giant robots, or “mecha”, it has spent three decades gathering fans and confusing outsiders in equal measure. Spanning over thirty different films and television series and over a hundred video games, the vast, sprawling Gundam universe is a daunting prospect for any newcomer. Available on: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (Xbox 360 version reviewed)
0 kommentar(er)
